


From Queen Past to Queen Future

by TessaDoesThings



Series: Tessa's Soft Wars [6]
Category: Star Wars: Rise of Empire Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Fuck the Banking Clan, Gen, Mentors, Naboo Junior Legislative Program, Politics, Sabé and Cordé are in this for like a minute too, Star Wars AU - Soft Wars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:54:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25931698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TessaDoesThings/pseuds/TessaDoesThings
Summary: After working hard to protect the program that guided her through her earliest forays into politics, Senator Padme Amidala has been assigned to mentor and guide a young future politician through the senate's muddy waters.She starts with conversations over tea.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala & Apailana (Star Wars), Padmé Amidala & Bail Organa
Series: Tessa's Soft Wars [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829968
Comments: 7
Kudos: 65
Collections: Open Source Soft Wars





	From Queen Past to Queen Future

**Author's Note:**

> This is absolutely a fluff piece because a shiny new character caught my attention on tumblr. I have no regrets.
> 
> This one's a oneshot for real this time, I swear!  
> *trips and spills plot ideas everywhere*

“I’m sorry I’m late, Senator Amidala!” Bail sends Padmé an amused smile from across her desk as the door to her office swings open, and a young girl steps through the door. “Oh no. Did I interrupt a meeting? I’m so sorry. I knew I should have just not come when I was late, but this is important, and-”

“Apailana. It’s alright. Why don’t you come on in?” Padmé beckons the girl inside and manages to just catch a glimpse of Cordé, standing behind the girl. Padme’s handmaiden has her hood drawn down over her face in the way that Padme knows means Cordé is hiding a grin. Padmé doesn’t respond to Cordé. She knows Sabé will handle that for her, given that Padmé can also see her lurking just behind Cordé. Instead, she focuses on the young girl who just entered her office, catching her first in-person look at her newest protégé.

The girl who steps into the office has deep brown eyes. They’re young, but still full of the wisdom that is found only in children. Her skin is a little darker then Padmé’s, and it contrasts well with the silvers and purples she’s dressed in, as well as the purple makeup that touches around her eyes. Apailana has medium-brown hair, pulled back into a large bun behind her hair in a way that echoes the hairdo that would support the Nubian crown. She’s certainly ambitious, despite being only ten years old. Padmé likes her already.

“I’m really sorry for interrupting your meeting, Senator Amidala,” Apailana repeats, and this time Padmé does smile at the younger Nubian.

“It’s quite alright, I’m afraid I didn’t give Senator Amidala much warning before I dropped in.” Bail responds this time, and Apailana clearly blinks in surprise. “I don’t believe we’ve met though. I’m Senator Bail Organa, of Alderaan.” Bail adds charitably, and clearly, this man is one of Padmé’s best friends for a reason. That respect for Apailana despite her younger age is something few members of the senate will provide her, but it’s all the more valuable because of it.

“Oh! I’m…” And Padmé can see the moment of hesitation before the girl steeled herself. “I’m Junior Legislator Apailana, of Naboo.” That’s probably the first time she’s ever introduced herself with her public name, Padmé realizes, and she feels a rush of pride for the younger girl. She remembers that feeling herself. It was terrifying yet gratifying for her, and she hoped Apailana felt the same way.

“Come, Apailana, join us.” Padmé comments and Apailana takes what Padmé recognizes as a steadying breath, (She glad to see that was in the program again! That was one of the most useful things she had learned as a Junior Legislator) and then the younger girl crosses the room to join Bail and Padmé at her desk, sitting in a second chair beside of Bail. Eventually, Padmé hopes she’ll be able to do her calming breaths while crossing the room. But she’ll get there. Knowing the technique was more than half the battle.

“So, Padmé, I didn’t realize that the Junior Legislative program was still going on. I had heard something about funding issues?” Bail asks, taking another sip of his tea as Padmé pours a cup for Apailana. It was a Mirialan tea that Obi-Wan had given to her last time he’d come over for dinner, and Padmé was more hooked on it than she would care to admit.

“There were some issues, but Queen Neeyutnee and I both feel that the program is vital to Naboo’s culture and government, and we were more than able to overcome the budgeting issues. Apailana here is part of the first wave of Junior Legislators to be trained since the program had to downsize not long after I left it.”

“And may I say, thank you so very much for working to restore the program, Senator Amidala. It means a lot to me to be in the program, and I can’t tell you how much it means to be here learning from you.” Apailana speaks with a clarity and calmness now that Padmé would bet credits Apailana doesn’t actually feel, but it was a convincing fake, and Padmé has to restrain a giddy giggle at how much potential Apailana has. There was conviction in her words to, and that isn’t false.

“Was everything alright this morning? Tardiness is very unlike the hardworking girl I’ve heard so much about from your mentors.” Apailana flushes a deep blush.

“I... got involved in a very passionate debate with one of the senatorial aides from the banking clans.” Bail gives a pleased chuckle at that, and Padme shoots him a _look_. When she doesn’t respond to Apailana’s explanation, the girl flushes deeper and bursts into an explanation. “You should have heard the things they were saying about the Jedi! They work so hard for the Republic; they don’t deserve to be talked about like that.” Well, Apailana is certain green around the edges, but Padmé can definitely feel with certainty just how far this girl will go in the future.

“Next time, don’t confront them directly,” Padmé starts conspiratorially, but Apailana cuts her off with a protest.

“But-!”

“Now then, Legislator Apailana, Senator Amidala is hardly one to decry the Jedi.” Bail cuts off the start of what looked to be a very impassioned protest. He also, however, throws a look at Padmé that reminds her exactly what Bail had walked in on the other day.

“Next time, Apailana, use your holo-recorder. An argument can reflect poorly on the stances of both parties involved, but a recording can be used to prepare for a debate in the senate that matters. In politics, we have to pick the battles that matter, that can change and save lives. If the Trade Federation and their allies want to provide us with ammunition to do so, then so be it.” Padmé can see the dawning look of realization on Apailana’s face.

“If we record their points, we can use it to prepare a counter-argument, whereas if we debate them there, they’ll know we have counterpoints to their points, and they’ll probably prepare new ones.”

“There’s a little more to it than that – it’s politics, there always is, but that’s the core idea. The other important side of it is that if we rise above our opponent’s insults, the galaxy will know who was collected and calm, and who dissolved into immature insults.” Padmé smirks as she said it, adding an eye roll for effect, and it gets a giggle out of Apailana, so it’s definitely worth that. "And the media will often favor the more... collected senators, rather than those who start fights in the streets, and there is great power in being the media's favorite." Padmé continues, and she can see comprehension mixing with determination in Apailana's eyes. Padmé knows right then and there that Apailana is going to burn the banking clans to the ground, and Padmé can't wait to watch them burn. From the look Bail's giving her, he can see that too.

“Now then, Legislator Apailana, before you came in, Senator Amidala and I were discussing the bill on the Senate floor about protecting the hyperlanes, and I would love to get your thoughts…”

**Author's Note:**

> Apailana: Starts a fight with the banking clan  
> Padmé: She's mine now, I love her, she's my child and she will do great things.
> 
> Ok but Queen Apailana is my current favorite obscure legends character and she should be yours too.  
> She was queen during RotS, the youngest one we know of. She was only 12 when elected, 13 during the events of the movie, and then afterward she technically agreed to be loyal to the empire, and then began to smuggle as many Jedi to safety as she could. She was such a thorn in the empire's side that her regime was the first one Palpatine ever had Vadar depose, and she eventually had a rebel cruiser named after her!
> 
> More info and an in depth look at her [here](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/royalhandmaidens/626545579118510080).


End file.
